To fabricate high-speed ultra large-scale integration (ULSI) devices, low dielectric constant (i.e., low-k) dielectrics are utilized in back-end-of-the-line processes (i.e., where a transistor is connected to the rest of an integrated circuit) to reduce signal-propagation delay. To reduce the dielectric constant of insulators to an even lower value, porous organosilicate low-k dielectrics, such as SiCOH for example, can be used. Some techniques use plasma-enhanced chemical-vapor deposition (PECVD) using porogen incorporation. The porogens can be removed with a post-deposition treatment, such as thermal annealing with ultraviolet (UV) exposure, resulting in a porous SiCOH film with low-k properties. The mechanisms of UV curing have been widely investigated. Specifically, CHx dissociation and Si—O—Si cross-linking enhancement contributes to the phenomena of porogen removal and improvement of mechanical properties in low-k thin films. However, due to Si—CH3 scission during UV curing, a tradeoff exists between strengthening mechanical properties and reducing the dielectric constant: a longer UV-curing time can achieve better mechanical strength, but it can also increase the dielectric constant. Furthermore, conventional UV curing processes can typically require simultaneous thermal heating, which can result in the deterioration of the films.